How much do teachers make? How much do students pay?

Teachers' and School Heads' Salaries and Allowances in Europe 2012/13 shows that, in all EU countries except Greece, teachers' purchasing power is at the same or an improved level in 2013 compared to 2000 despite salary cuts or freezes applied over the last couple of years in many countries. This is because salary increases made between 2000 and 2009 generally outweigh the austerity measures taken during 2009-2012 and the rise in cost of living. However, the teaching profession remains poorly remunerated, with minimum basic teacher salaries in both primary and general secondary education lower than per capita GDP in the majority of countries. The report presents these findings, among many others, by means of a comparative overview and country specific information covering 32 European countries. The report covers full-time, fully qualified teachers and school heads at pre-primary, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education levels.

The National Student Fee and Support Systems 2012/2013 report reveals that of the 32 countries it covers, the United Kingdom (England) charges the highest amount of student fees, while a number of countries – mainly Nordic – apply a 'no fee' regime for all students. The report tries to capture all main costs charged to students and not only those that are officially defined as 'fees'. In Ireland, for example, few students officially pay tuition fees, yet students are obliged to pay 'student contributions' that are higher than fees in most other European countries. The national information sheets in the report not only show the amount of fees students (including international students) pay during first and second cycle education, but also show the financial support available to them in the form of need and merit-based grants, loans and other tax benefits and family allowances. Information refers to public or government-dependent private higher education institutions but not to private higher education institutions.

Both reports are available on the Eurydice website in English.